A known chain conveyor apparatus uses a conveyor chain composed of a large number of conveying link modules. Each link module has a loading surface for loading articles. Each link module has hinge knuckles projecting from front and rear ends of the loading surface. Link pins connect the link modules in a chain width and longitudinal directions. Each link module includes a large number of magnetism generating link modules each disposed on a side of the link modules along the chain longitudinal direction through an extension of the link pin as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2012-30936 (claims, FIG. 2) for example.
Such chain conveyor apparatus conveys articles while attracting and retaining the articles on the loading surface of a loading portion by magnetism of magnet pieces even if the loading surface is inclined or is slippery due to food oil or machining oil.
However, the prior art chain conveyor apparatus has a problem. In the prior art chain conveyor it is necessary to forcibly detach the articles from the attractive force of the magnet pieces to dam up the articles, i.e., to temporarily retain the articles when other articles are to be accumulated on the way to a conveying area of the conventional chain conveyor apparatus. At this time, a force in a direction opposite to the conveying direction is generated in an attempt to dam up the articles and act on the traveling conveyor chain such that the power applied to the traveling conveyor chain increases due the force generated in damming up the articles.
The conventional chain conveyor apparatus has another problem. Namely, the force generated in damming up the articles forcibly acts between the loading surface of the traveling conveyor chain and a bottom surface of the articles to be accumulated. The conveyor chain travels while in slidable contact with the whole bottom surface of the articles and is prone to wear the whole bottom surface of the articles.
Accordingly, there is a need for a chain conveyor apparatus that simply accommodates an accumulation of articles and for readily temporarily damming them up and retaining them at an accumulation position such as an inclined conveying area. There is a further need for a chain conveyor apparatus which operates on reduced power.